João Domingos Bomtempo (; also Buontempo;

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

, 28 December 1775 – Lisbon, 18 August 1842) was a Portuguese

classical pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and pedagogue.

Biography

Bomtempo was the son of an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

musician in the Portuguese court orchestra, and studied at the Music Seminary of the Patriarchal See in Lisbon. Unlike most of his contemporaries, he was not interested in

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

and, in 1801, instead of going to Italy, he traveled to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, where he started a career as a virtuoso pianist. He moved to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in 1810 and became acquainted with liberal circles in that city. During 1822 he returned to Lisbon, and founded there a Philharmonic Society to promote public concerts of contemporary music. After the Portuguese civil war between liberals and absolutists had resulted in a liberal victory, Bomtempo became a music teacher to the young Queen

Maria II of Portugal Dona Maria II (Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Habsburgo-Lorena e Bragança; 4 April 1819 – 15 November 1853) also known as "the Educator" () or as ...

and first Director of the National Conservatory, created in 1835 to replace the old Patriarchal Seminary, which had been abolished by the new liberal regime. Bomtempo composed a vast number of concertos, sonatas, variations and fantasies for the piano. His two known symphonies are the first to be produced by a Portuguese composer. But his largest work, and probably his masterpiece, is his Requiem in memory of

Luís de Camões Luís Vaz de Camões (; or 1525 – 10 June 1580), sometimes rendered in English as Camoens or Camoëns ( ), is considered Portugal's and the Portuguese language's greatest poet. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of William Shakes ...

, which has been released on CD.

List of compositions

*Op. 1 - Piano Sonata No. 1 in F major *Op. 2 - Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat major (ca. 1804) *Op. 3 - Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor (ca. 1800-1810) *Op. 4 - Fandango & Variations for piano *Op. 5 - Piano Sonata No. 2 in C minor *Op. 6 - Introduction, 5 variations & fantasy on Paisiello's favorite air for piano *Op. 7 - Piano Concerto No.3 in G minor *Op. 8 - Capriccio & Variations on ''God save the King'' for piano in E flat major *Op. 9 No.1 - Piano Sonata No. 3 in E flat major *Op. 9 No.2 - Piano Sonata No. 4 in C major *Op. 9 No.3 - Sonata for violin and harpsichord in E major *Op. 10a - Hymno lusitano (cantata); Arrangement by the composer for piano 4-hands titled: March of Lord Wellington *Op. 10b - La Virtù Trionfante (cantata) *Op. 11 - Symphony No.1 in E flat major *Op. 12 - Piano Concerto No.4 in D major (1811-1812) *Op. 13 - Piano Sonata No. 5 in C major *Op. 14 - Fantasia for piano in C minor *Op. 15 No.1 - Piano Sonata No. 6 in A flat major *Op. 15 No.2 - Piano Sonata No. 7 in G minor *Op. 15 No.3 - Variations for piano on a popular French song *Op. 16 - Piano Quintet in E flat major *Op. 17 - A paz da Europa (cantata) *Op. 18 No.1 - Piano Sonata No. 8 in G major *Op. 18 No.2 - Piano Sonata No. 9 in F minor *Op. 18 No.3 - Piano Sonata No.10 in E flat major *Op. 19 - 12 Studies for piano (1816) *Op. 20 - Piano Sonata No.11 in E flat major *Op. 21 - Variations for piano on a theme from ''

Die Zauberflöte ''The Magic Flute'' (, ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. It is a ''Singspiel'', a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue. The work premiered on ...

'' in G minor *Op. 22 - Variations for piano on a theme from ''Alessandro in Efeso'' in B flat major *Op. 23
Requiem in C minor
(1819-1820) *Op. 24 - Piano Concerto No.5 in C minor/major * 4 Absolutions, B5 * Libera me Domine in C minor * Piano Concerto No.6 in E minor, B26 (1810-1840) * Piano Quintet in D minor, B74 * Serenata for piano and winds in F major, B75 (1821-1830) * Symphony No.2 in D major, B16 * Te Deum in F major, B10 * Variations for piano on a theme from ''

La donna del Lago ''La donna del lago'' (English language, English: ''The Lady of the Lake'') is an opera composed by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Andrea Leone Tottola (whose verses are described as "limpid" by one critic) based on the French translationO ...

'' in E minor (1822) * Fantasy for piano and orchestra (on a theme from ''La donna del Lago'') * Waltz for piano *''Alessandro in Efeso'', opera seria
Tantum Ergo, Kyrie, Gloria e Credo
(1842)

References

External links

* * *
Tantum Ergo, Kyrie, Gloria e Credo
- on-going cooperative transcription in th
Wiki-score
platform of the score of Bomtempo's last work.
Bio, Audio Files, List of Works, Links, Bibliography, Discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bomtempo, Joao Domingos 1775 births 1842 deaths 18th-century classical composers 18th-century classical pianists 18th-century keyboardists 18th-century male musicians 19th-century classical composers 19th-century classical pianists 19th-century keyboardists 19th-century Portuguese male musicians Portuguese Classical-period composers Portuguese male classical pianists Musicians from Lisbon Composers for piano Portuguese Romantic composers Portuguese male classical composers Portuguese classical pianists Portuguese people of Italian descent